Introduction
Messy, comical, unpredictable, dramatic, impossible, beautiful. It's the city where people lie in the gutters and dream of the stars. From slumdogs to millionaires, fashion to finance, Bollywood to beggars, it serves as a microcosm of the unwieldy, dichotomous country it exists in. Look past the dirty streets and the bright lights and you'll see a city that's warm and welcoming.
More from Mumbai PDF VersionEssentials
- The heat can be draining; keep bottled water at hand. Fresh coconut water from a roadside vendor is a refreshing substitute.
- June to September is monsoon season. Carry an umbrella and, ideally, wellies.
- Mumbai is unofficially divided into north and south and people cluster activities in one or the other. Plan ahead to avoid hours in sweaty traffic.
- If you're travelling by taxi, make sure the driver puts on the meter and ask to see the meter card at the end of your journey.
- When bargaining in markets, offer half the price quoted. If you settle on two-thirds, well done.
Two-hour tour
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The Gateway of India, Apollo Bunder — Mumbai’s iconic monument.
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Bhau Daji Lad Museum
Byculla
+ 91 22 2373 1234
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Ballard Estate & Fort — Beautiful Victorian architecture.
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Kala Ghoda Art District — Includes the National Gallery of Modern Art.
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Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus — Magnificent Gothic architecture.
Hotels
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The Gordon House Hotel
5 Battery Street, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
+ 91 22 2289 4400
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Taj/Vivanta by Taj
Eight properties throughout Mumbai.
+ 91 22 6601 1825
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The Oberoi
Nariman Point
+ 91 22 6632 5757
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Dining
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Le Pain Quotidien
Apollo Bunder, Colaba
+ 91 22 2202 1205
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Indigo Deli
Apollo Bunder, Colaba
+ 91 22 6655 1010
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The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Inox Building, Nariman Point
+ 91 22 6615 1168
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Britannia & Co
16 Ballard Estate
+ 91 22 2261 5264
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Thai Pavilion
Hotel Taj President, Cuffe Parade
+ 91 22 6665 0808
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Kala Ghoda Café
Ropewalk Street, Kala Ghoda
+ 91 22 2263 3866
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Café by the Beach
Next to H2O Water Complex, Chowpatty Beach
+ 91 22 6565 0040
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Woodside Inn
Opposite Regal Cinema, Colaba
+ 91 22 2287 5752
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Goa Portuguesa
SVP Nagar, 4 Bungalows Lokhandwala Road, Andheri West
+ 91 22 2631 3222
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Pali Village Café
602 Ambedkar Road Pali Naka, Bandra West
+ 91 22 2605 0401
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Hakkasan
206 Krystal Waterfield Road, Bandra West
+ 91 22 2644 4444
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Aer bar
Four Seasons Hotel Rooftop, 114 Dr E Moses Road, Worli
+ 91 22 2481 8444
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Tote on the Turf
Mahalaxmi Racecourse
+ 91 22 6157 7777
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Bade Miya Kebabs
Behind Taj Mahal Hotel, Tulloch Road, Apollo Bunder, Colaba
+ 91 22 4033 2300
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Blue Frog
Mathuradas Mill Compound, Lower Parel
+ 91 22 4033 2300
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Reading
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Kitab Khana
Somaiya Bhavan 45/47 Mahatma Gandhi Road Fort
+91 22 2288 8041
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Shopping
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Antiques from Chor Bazzaar
Mutton Street
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Marks & Spencer
Outlets in Lower Parel, Malad and Ghatkopar
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Landmark
Palladium Basement, High Street Phoenix
+ 91 22 6457 5323
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Filter design store
Shop 3, 43 VB Gandhi Marg, Kala Ghoda
+ 91 22 2288 7070
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Le Mill
Nandlal Jani Road, Masjid Bunder East
+ 91 22 2374 2415
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Limousine/car
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Meru Cabs
+ 91 22 4422 4422
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Fitness
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Gold's Gym, Bandra
Landmark Building, Pali Naka Bandra West
+ 91 22 6699 2291
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Juhu Beach — Soft sand running; watch the sun rise or fall over the Arabian Sea.